Hearing aid repair and maintenance: how to extend the life of devices?

Hearing aids are essential to the daily lives of many Americans. It’s difficult for a healthy person to imagine how these small devices affect the lives of some people. However, the health and quality of life depend on the performance of the hearing aids that a person uses daily.

Therefore, the breakdown of such a device is an unfortunate event, especially if it happened away from home or while traveling. After all, a person loses the ability to communicate with others! This is especially frustrating for people with moderate or severe hearing loss. How to prolong the life of your hearing aids? What if it’s already out of order? Let’s answer these important questions together!

Top causes of hearing aid damage

A hearing aid is a complex electronic device, which consists of many small parts. We don’t see them, but we feel how they work. Of course, the smaller the model and the more functions it has, the more complex the device is. Top hearing aid brands produce high-quality and efficient models, which fit all the parts you need into a rugged case.

However, like any complex electronic device, a hearing aid can fail at the most inopportune moment. Dr. Stella Fulman identifies reasons, which can lead to such a breakdown most often:

Physical damage

During play or exercise, the hearing aid may fall out of your ear and hit a solid surface such as asphalt or tiles. Pets love to taste just about anything they find. Hearing aids are no exception. As a result of such actions, various scratches and cracks appear on the body of the device. But this is not the worst thing. If the internal components of the model are damaged during a strong impact, the device will stop working correctly. Try to avoid this, otherwise, you will need a hearing aid repair.

Moisture is a dangerous enemy for any device. Tiny electronic parts and contacts of the hearing aid are destroyed when it gets inside. Anyone who uses such a device knows that a hearing aid will perform better if kept clean and dry.

Moisture penetration

Moisture is the main threat to any electronic device, including hearing aids. This does not only apply to the pool or shower. Your sweat, especially on summer days, is no less destructive. The device contacts the skin, and sweat gets into it through the cracks. The accumulation of liquid will initially impair the performance of the hearing aid and, if not dried, will result in serious damage. Replacing one or another part that is out of order due to moisture is a common hearing aid repair solution.

Earwax

It may seem strange to you at first glance, but earwax often causes device malfunctions. Of course, it’s not true for those who clean the device on time. Earwax can plug up the receiver, and as a result, the sound transfer is impaired and the hearing aid appears to be dead. Fortunately, the problem is easily fixed.

It’s worth noting that improper cleaning of the hearing aids often leads to a breakdown of the device and results in a need for repairs. It happens that the device cannot produce good sound while in working order. Audiology Island often faces such problems and offers Teleaudiology services to our patients to configure their devices remotely.

What to do if my hearing aid is broken?

Do not give up on the device ahead of time if the hearing aid is not working properly. Perhaps everything is much simpler than it seems, and you can fix the cause of the malfunction yourself. Use the following tips.

• Make sure the hearing aid is turned on and the volume control is in the correct position
• If the device still does not work, make sure the batteries are working. Check if they are charged, if installed correctly, if you have chosen the appropriate type or if the battery is inserted properly
• Connect the devices to the charger and disconnect them to restart
• Carry out a thorough cleaning and inspection of the device. Carefully inspect the tubing and earmold of the hearing aid. Earwax or moisture may have gotten there. Clean them carefully
• Change the filter if you are wearing an ITE model. The filter type is indicated in the model passport
• We also recommend that you carefully examine the housing and earmolds for cracks or other damage
• Dry your devices
• If your hearing aid starts to whistle, turn down the volume and check if the earmold is properly seated
• Change the dome and the filter if you have the RIC type hearing aids

If you have followed all of the above recommendations but are still not satisfied with the performance of your devices, then you might need a hearing aid repair.

Of course, you’ll be interested in the cost of hearing aid repairs. It’s difficult to answer the question immediately, i.e. the price of work depends on many factors, such as:

• Validity of device warranty
• Types of damage
• Price of defective parts

You’ll find various models of hearing aids from the most renowned manufacturers at Audiology Island. They provide you access to branded services, for example, such manufacturer’s as Signia offer  hearing aid repairs in their New Jersey location. The standard device warranty ranges from 1 to 3 years. During the period, a free hearing aid repair service is available to you. There are also options for extending the warranty after the original period has expired.

In any case, you need to contact Audiology Island. Our hearing care professionals will determine the extent of damage and the cost of repairs. Each case is different. Some patients enjoy affordable hearing aid repairs, while others find it easier to purchase a new model, depending on the age, and state of the damage of their device.

Preventive measures to prolong the life of devices

A hearing aid is a complex electronic device. However, you can extend its lifespan if you follow our helpful tips.

• Handle your hearing aids with care and do not subject them to excessive pressure or shock. In addition, the devices must be protected from heat, extreme cold, moisture, and electromagnetic radiation
• Remember to take off your hearing aids in the pool, shower, or at the beach. Due to the small size of modern devices, you can easily forget to take them off. This can lead to moisture ingress and subsequent failure. Therefore, always remove your devices before water activities. Try wearing waterproof hearing aids, which have excellent moisture resistance
• Dry your devices daily. Sweat, especially in summer, is a frequent cause of the malfunction. Therefore, remove the batteries from the case every night. Better yet, use special hearing aid dehumidifiers
• Clean your devices every week. It is advisable to use specialized accessories for the procedure
• Use only hearing aid batteries of the correct size. Any other batteries are unsuitable and even dangerous for the device
• Keep the devices turned off, out of the reach of children and pets
• Service your devices in a timely manner

You’ll be surprised, but these simple tips will extend the life of your devices!

Remember, despite all precautions, hearing aids can break, just like any electronic device. If you’ve faced such a problem, we are here for you at Audiology Island. Our hearing aid repair service specialists has extensive experience. We’ll quickly find the best solution for you!